What is the difference between a spot and a stain – Lakeway TX Carpet Cleaning

The terms ‘spot’ and ‘stain’ are very often used interchangeably, so there is confusion as to what exactly is a spot and what is a stain. The most glaring difference is that a spot is a visible surface discoloration which is usually limited to the surface, whereas a stain is a visible discoloration that can be embedded deep in the material.

The other easier to understand the difference is that a spot is easily removable. You can gently scratch the surface and usually get rid of the spot, but a stain is another story. It is not so easy to remove it. A stain could also be a permanent discoloration, ruining your things forever.

Many spots appear on our carpets or upholstery almost daily and they can be cleaned simply by water or by rubbing a damp cloth on them, but a stain cannot be removed by just gently scouring the surface with a piece of cloth soaked in water. Spots generally come into existence because of careless handling of eatables, but if there’s some gravy or red wine which has spilled on your carpet or rug then you are sure to see a glaring stain in your otherwise clean carpet.

Spots can even be removed by simple blotting by a dry towel, but a stain is going to need a lot of energy and some harsh chemicals, like peroxides, too. Whenever a dirty smudge appears on your carpet due to you being careless, remove that immediately. Because if you don’t do so, that spot will travel the rest of the floor with your feet and make it dirty too.

Generally, the spots which are not timely treated and left-over night or a longer period become stubborn and turn into stains. So, to avoid that immediately remove the spots as soon as they appear.

If a spot turns into a stain, the best way to deal with it is with a professional, and we service the following areas: